Von morgen

von morgen

Not a pair of shoes for the throwaway society

On the average, we buy six pairs of shoes a year. Where and under what conditions these shoes are produced and what material is used, is often secondary. Not so in the small, exquisite workshop of shoemaker Nicole Üblacker and designer Thomas Licht. Sustainability and durability are paramount factors for them. Timeless design, precious organic leather, and excellent craftsmanship characterize their sneakers of “tomorrow (von morgen).”The two of them will tell you how this idea came about and what the most sustainable shoe in the world can do:

What motivated you to become a shoemaker?NÜ: I attended fashion school before my architectural studies and have always been a shoe enthusiast. Six years ago I quit architecture and did an apprenticeship. Then I founded my business in 2015.How did you get the idea for it?NÜ: My first idea for the sneaker model came to me at night and I immediately drew it out. I soon realized that I could actually produce it. I then worked on it for another year until all components fit just exactly the way I wanted them to.

What makes this shoe so special?TL: The peripheral seam makes this patented sole structure special. You can open the shoe at any time and do specific repair work without the shoe losing its shape.NÜ: And it is only made of material of which we know how and where it was produced. We are in the fortunate position that there are still companies that will tan the leather in small quantities for us. Thus, the upper material comes from a tannery in Tirol.

How much work goes into a pair of shoes like this?NÜ: Approximately 20 hours, but it’s well worth the effort. The shoe is so comfortable; it doesn’t compare to a factory-made shoe. It is similar to food which is not made of low-cost ingredients, but the very best of ingredients; it simply tastes different. And in our case, it feels completely different to walk in shoes like this.

What are your plans for the future?TL: Vienna has always been known for shoemaking and we want to continue and revitalize this tradition. The sneaker is actually a model that originated with industrial manufacturing and we will “bring it back to the future” per se with artisan methodology which is 100 or 200 years old. We received support for market entry in the form of funding from the Vienna Business Agency in the field of creative industries.

Do you have tips for new entrepreneurs?NÜ: It is important that you repeatedly try to stand back and review your work from a distance, so that you don’t get lost in too much detail. And you should have the courage to change a previously chosen path, when your gut feeling tells you so. Detours are also included. And my third tip is to get support if you don’t know what to do next. You don’t have to know everything. There are a lot of different consulting services that you should definitely avail yourself of!